[Fic] "Cobweb Maze: In the Morning Light" -- original story, Ithaca Paranormal
Another snippet of "Cobweb Maze," this one after Takeshi spends the night on Lia's couch following an attack from her stalker. He drives her in to her store the next day and hangs around for a while, watching her prepare to open. (550 words)
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Cobweb Maze: In the Morning Light
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"You have a tattoo!" Takeshi said, his hand stretching involuntarily toward Lia's back where the hem of her t-shirt had ridden up.
She straightened, the box of vampire romances cradled in her arms, and favored him with an amused look. "So I do. What of it?"
Takeshi snatched his hand back and flushed. "Nothing, really. I just... what's it a picture of? I couldn't see clearly."
Lia's face went still and her hazel eyes lost focus, as if she were seeing a memory instead of Takeshi. "Excalibur rising from a fountain," she said, "surrounded by roses and thorns. Eva designed it to go with hers and Blaise's. She had a rose crossed over the sword, and two hands pouring water onto them. Blaise had the sword plunging through a rosebud into a hand, which bled clear water."
Takeshi had no idea what to say in response.
Lia shook her head and returned to the present. "We had a thing for Arthurian legends when we were in high school," she explained. "I was the Lady of the Lake -- Nimue, or Vivian -- because I'm a magician. Eva was Guinevere, the beautiful, fickle queen. And Blaise could never decide if he wanted to be Arthur or Lancelot. Either way, he was our knight."
She smiled at Takeshi, the expression somewhere between sly and sincere. "I don't need a knight anymore, but needing isn't the same as wanting. Care to apply for the job?"
"Um," Takeshi said.
Lia laughed. "I'm joking, of course. If you're anyone, you're Merlin -- the wizard to my witch." She set the box on a folding table and stepped toward Takeshi. "So tell me, oh great sorcerer, my master and lover and focus of my world: what symbol would you choose to represent yourself on my body?"
Takeshi swallowed, and let himself reach out to slide a hand under Lia's shirt, tracing his fingertips over the skin of her lower back. "Nothing," he said. "I'd rather be in your heart. That way, I have hope that you won't steal my magic and abandon me in a cave for all eternity when you have no more use for me."
Lia went still again for a long moment. Takeshi cursed himself for opening his stupid mouth.
Then she laughed. "Oh ho! I'll have to be careful around you, my modern Merlin. You may be too clever for me. But that's enough time wasted. I need to get these books shelved before I open the store, and you need to stop hanging around me like I'm in danger of breaking. Trust me, Takeshi; I'm not fragile."
For just a second she dropped her cloak and disguise and let the full spectrum of her touches crackle around her, the flaring of potential energy beautiful in its deadly power.
"I know," Takeshi agreed, fervently. "Trust me, I know. That's not why I'm here."
Lia blinked. "No?" Then an idea seemed to hit her and she smiled, fox-sharp and teasing. "Oh, I see. You just want to get back in my pants. Now's a bad time, but stop by again at lunch and your luck might change."
As Takeshi sputtered in embarrassed surprise, she shoved him through the delivery door out into the cold, grey morning.
"Remember, lunch!" she said. The door slammed shut.
Takeshi stood in the cramped not-exactly-an-alley and wondered what on earth Lia was doing to him.
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Inspired by the 5/17/10
15_minute_ficlets word #32: tattoo
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Lia and Takeshi confuse the hell out of each other sometimes. Possibly I should not find that as cute as I generally do. :-)
You can also read this entry on Dreamwidth, where there are currently (
comments)
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Cobweb Maze: In the Morning Light
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"You have a tattoo!" Takeshi said, his hand stretching involuntarily toward Lia's back where the hem of her t-shirt had ridden up.
She straightened, the box of vampire romances cradled in her arms, and favored him with an amused look. "So I do. What of it?"
Takeshi snatched his hand back and flushed. "Nothing, really. I just... what's it a picture of? I couldn't see clearly."
Lia's face went still and her hazel eyes lost focus, as if she were seeing a memory instead of Takeshi. "Excalibur rising from a fountain," she said, "surrounded by roses and thorns. Eva designed it to go with hers and Blaise's. She had a rose crossed over the sword, and two hands pouring water onto them. Blaise had the sword plunging through a rosebud into a hand, which bled clear water."
Takeshi had no idea what to say in response.
Lia shook her head and returned to the present. "We had a thing for Arthurian legends when we were in high school," she explained. "I was the Lady of the Lake -- Nimue, or Vivian -- because I'm a magician. Eva was Guinevere, the beautiful, fickle queen. And Blaise could never decide if he wanted to be Arthur or Lancelot. Either way, he was our knight."
She smiled at Takeshi, the expression somewhere between sly and sincere. "I don't need a knight anymore, but needing isn't the same as wanting. Care to apply for the job?"
"Um," Takeshi said.
Lia laughed. "I'm joking, of course. If you're anyone, you're Merlin -- the wizard to my witch." She set the box on a folding table and stepped toward Takeshi. "So tell me, oh great sorcerer, my master and lover and focus of my world: what symbol would you choose to represent yourself on my body?"
Takeshi swallowed, and let himself reach out to slide a hand under Lia's shirt, tracing his fingertips over the skin of her lower back. "Nothing," he said. "I'd rather be in your heart. That way, I have hope that you won't steal my magic and abandon me in a cave for all eternity when you have no more use for me."
Lia went still again for a long moment. Takeshi cursed himself for opening his stupid mouth.
Then she laughed. "Oh ho! I'll have to be careful around you, my modern Merlin. You may be too clever for me. But that's enough time wasted. I need to get these books shelved before I open the store, and you need to stop hanging around me like I'm in danger of breaking. Trust me, Takeshi; I'm not fragile."
For just a second she dropped her cloak and disguise and let the full spectrum of her touches crackle around her, the flaring of potential energy beautiful in its deadly power.
"I know," Takeshi agreed, fervently. "Trust me, I know. That's not why I'm here."
Lia blinked. "No?" Then an idea seemed to hit her and she smiled, fox-sharp and teasing. "Oh, I see. You just want to get back in my pants. Now's a bad time, but stop by again at lunch and your luck might change."
As Takeshi sputtered in embarrassed surprise, she shoved him through the delivery door out into the cold, grey morning.
"Remember, lunch!" she said. The door slammed shut.
Takeshi stood in the cramped not-exactly-an-alley and wondered what on earth Lia was doing to him.
---------------------------------------------
Inspired by the 5/17/10
15_minute_ficlets word #32: tattoo
---------------------------------------------
Lia and Takeshi confuse the hell out of each other sometimes. Possibly I should not find that as cute as I generally do. :-)
You can also read this entry on Dreamwidth, where there are currently (
comments)